Love and Obstacles
by serafina81
Summary: Serafina finally gets the man of her dreams…But will she get to keep him?


It was 9:30pm, the corridors were mostly quiet. Serafina Demtrin was on her way to Dumbledore's office when she was stopped dead in her tracks. "Good evening, Ms. Demtrin." Serafina looked behind her, and there he stood, in her opinion he was the most gorgeous man alive, it was Professor Severus Snape.

"Professor, you startled me." Serafina said.

"Yes, well I guess I have that effect on people. May I ask you why you are lurking around Dumbledore's office?"

"Well...ummm...I just thought that I would ask him if I could transfer to Slytherin next year."

A slight smile spread on Snape's face. "Really, you wish to transfer to Slytherin? Why?"

"Well I think that when the sorting hat placed me into Gryffindor, it had made a mistake."

"Well I could have told you that, Ms. Demtrin. You truly are a Slytherin; you're exactly like your father."

Serafina stood there shocked out of her mind. She really had no idea that Professor Snape would have agreed with her. For six years now she has tried to bring herself to ask Dumbledore if she could transfer.

"Ms. Demtrin, why don't you let me talk to Dumbledore about your transfer? I'm sure that I can persuade him."

"Thank you Professor." Serafina felt herself blushing, so she ran for Gryffindor tower. She didn't stop until she got to the picture of the Fat lady, and said the password, "duckbilled platypus". Before she even got a chance to sit down, she was bombarded with questions from her best friend, Millie

"So did you go through with it this time?" Millie asked.

"Well not exactly."

"I knew that you would chicken out at the last minute."

"Wait, you don't understand, I was going to Dumbledore's office when I ran into Professor Snape."

"Ok, what happened next?" Millie asked, hanging on every word.

"Well of course he got all bitchy and asked me what I was doing lurking around Dumbledore's office. I told him that I was going to ask Dumbledore if I could transfer to Slytherin. He looked at me as if I told him that Christmas had come early."

"He likes you, ok I don't mean in that gross sort of way, but he thinks you're brilliant." Millie said.

"What do you mean, 'In that gross sort of way'? There's nothing gross about him. In fact he's quite the opposite of gross."

"Ewww, you don't actually _like_ him, do you?"

"Nope I don't like him, I _love _him. I love his dark obsidian eyes, his sensual lips, the way that he looks at me, the way that his deep baritone voice makes me melt inside, actually I can't think of anything I don't love about him." Millie looked like she going to be sick.

"So you're actually in love with that greasy git? That's sooo gross, I can't believe that you actually think that Snape is sexy. Are you blind?"

"No I'm not blind. I guess that since I spend a lot of time with him, I got to know the real him. You know, he isn't that bad once you get to know him, he's actually quite nice."

"_Nice_? Well I do guess that you spend a lot of time with him, since he is your godfather. But still, you really think that he's _nice_?

"Well when school isn't in session he is just wonderful. But during school he treats me like any other student, mostly."

"What do you mean, mostly?"

"Well like today, I'm sure if I was any other student he wouldn't have given a flying fuck that I wanted to transfer to Slytherin, and he sure wouldn't have tried to convince Dumbledore that I belonged there."

"Well maybe he _does_ like you in that gross sort of way. I mean if you think about it, he really hasn't ever punished you for anything you've done. And he _does_ think you're brilliant. Just the other day I was walking past the teacher's lounge and I over heard Snape telling McGonagall 'That Ms. Demtrin will be accepted to every university that she applies to.'"

"Really, he said that? But that doesn't prove that he likes me. Sure he thinks I'm smart, but I don't think that he thinks of me the same way I think about him."

"Well, while your contemplating your relationship with Snape, I'm gonna go to bed. I'm really tired and I don't want to fall asleep at the end of the year feast tomorrow. Good night Sera."

"Good night Millie."

Shortly after Millie went to bed, Serafina climbed the stairs to her dorm. She put her pajamas on and got into bed, but she didn't fall asleep. All she could think about was her transfer, and what Millie had told her. _Could he actually like me? Does he really want me in Slytherin? How can I show him that I like him?_ Serafina thought about this until she finally fell asleep.

The great hall was decked out in Slytherin colors for the feast. They have, yet again, won the house cup. "It's not fair!" Bill Weasley screamed.

"Oh for the love of God, bill. Does it really matter who wins? This whole contest is pretty stupid in my opinion." Serafina said.

"Well of course you would think it's stupid. You're going to be in the winning house next year."

"What do you mean, Bill?"

"Well, you _are_ transferring to Slytherin aren't you?"

"I'm not sure if Dumbledore will let me...wait a minute, how did you know I wanted to transfer?"

"Last night I overheard you and Millie talk about it."

Oh god, all I could think of is that he could have heard me talk about my feelings for Snape. Bill Weasley, of all people, could know that I'm madly in love with the potions master.

"Bill, is that _all_ you heard?"

"Yeah, and it was enough. Why do you want to transfer to Slytherin willingly?"

"I just think that I would fit in better in Slytherin. But it doesn't matter, Dumbledore might not even accept my proposal, I might be stuck in Gryffindor next year."

Just then, the mail came in. Hershey, my barn owl, swooped down and dropped three letters on my lap. I gave him some of my bacon, and he hooted gratefully and then took off for the owlery. The first letter was from my parents, all it said was "meet us in diagon alley at 4:00pm." _Well that was a waste of parchment. It's the same letter every year._ The next letter was from Professor Snape. And the last letter was from Dumbledore. _Well the letter from Dumbledore will be about my transfer, but what about the one from Snape?_

I looked more carefully at the letter from Snape, and on the back, in green lettering it said: Do not open until your safe at home. _Safe at home, what did that mean?_ I then turned my attention to the other letter. The letter read:

_Dear Ms. Demtrin_

_Professor Snape has told me that you wish to transfer to Slytherin house next year. He also told me that you would do really well there; he did everything to make me believe that you would belong in Slytherin. However, I have heard nothing from you about this matter. Even though I do believe Professor Snape's judgment, I still want to hear your side of the story. Please meet me in my office immediately following the feast._

_Albus Dumbledore _

"Who's that from?" Millie asked.

"Dumbledore."

"So I figure you'll be in Slytherin next year right?"

"Well not exactly, Dumbledore still wants to hear why I want to transfer."

"Isn't Snape's word good enough?"

"I guess not, I'm supposed to go to Dumbledore's office after the feast."

"Well good luck."

That is what I need: Luck. I was so nervous about going to Dumbledore's office after the feast, and if that wasn't enough. Snape kept staring at me as though he wanted to talk to me about something. Whatever it was I bet it has to do with his letter. I still couldn't figure out what he meant by: Do not open until your safe at home. It kind of made me worry. But it's probably nothing. He probably just wants to be cautious.

As the feast grew to an end, I was preparing my self for what Dumbledore might say. And then the time came. I went to the entrance to Dumbledore's office and said the password, as I rose up the spiral staircase, my palms were sweating, and I was starting to feel sick. _Maybe I should just leave, being in Gryffindor one more year won't hurt me. _But it was too late to do anything, because before I knew it I was standing right in front of the headmaster.

"Come in and sit down. I guess you really do want to be in Slytherin next year. Most Gryffindors would rather eat mud than transfer.

Ms Demtrin, why do you want to transfer from Gryffindor to Slytherin?"

"Sir, I believe that when I was sorted, I think that the sorting hat had made a mistake. I have far more Slytherin Qualities than Gryffindor."

"Yes this is true, but do you also remember that you had said that you never wanted to end up like your father?"

This is what I was afraid of. The only reason why I kept chickening out of asking Dumbledore about transferring is the fact that my father was in Slytherin along with Professor Snape, they were best friends, and when they graduated from Hogwarts, they were lured by the dark side and became lord Voldemorts death eaters. When I was being sorted, I said that I do not want to become a death eater.

"Yes I know but I do not think that I have to worry about Voldemort, I am strong and I will not give in to the dark side. And besides just because I'm in Slytherin does not mean I will become a death eater."

"That's what I wanted to hear, for you to tell me that you know that the house name does not control your fate, is enough to prove to me that you are ready to be in Slytherin. You will end this year a Gryffindor and start next year as a Slytherin. It's late you should get to bed."

I was speechless, I couldn't even say thank you. All I could do was nod. On my way back to Gryffindor tower I ran into Snape.

"Ms. Demtrin, I need to speak with you."

"But Professor, it's getting late..."

"NOW, IN MY OFFICE!"

He yelled loud enough that a few 5th years took off in all different directions. I never heard him yell that loud at me before, as I followed him to his office I couldn't help but wonder, _could he be angry with me?_ When we got to his office he turned around and saw my nervousness on my face and chuckled.

"Oh Sera, do you really think I was yelling because I was angry? I was just trying to get the last few hoodlums that were roaming around the corridors to get back to their dormitories."

_He called me by my first name, he never does that unless were not in school._

"So how did your meeting go with the headmaster? I talked with him earlier to see if my little talk with him had persuaded him to let you transfer. He told me that he could not make that decision unless he talked to you."

"Well he told me that I could transfer."

"Wonderful. Do you still have the letter that I sent you?"

"Yes I do. But Professor, I don't understand why you don't want me to read it until I get home."

"Well I just didn't want anyone looking over your shoulder when you read it since there is very private information in it."

I was glad that the reason wasn't something more serious. But I still wondered what information could be so private that he didn't want anyone else to know.

"Sera, you should get back to your dormitory, it's late and you have had a long day. I'll see you tomorrow."

And then he did something that I would have never thought he would do: he hugged me. I've known Snape all my life and I have never seen him hug anyone, not even his own family. And then he did something else that was surprising: he kissed me on the cheek. I slowly walked out of his office and then I ran the rest of the way back to Gryffindor tower. I got to my bed and I tried to sleep but my mind was swimming with thought. For once in my life I have a reason to believe that Snape actually likes me.


End file.
